soldering shouldn't be complicated
 

...but I have many burns on my finger, a few spots on my floor mat, and over a 1/2 hour of my life wasted to show me that things aren't going to be easy.

My red wire for the wiper motor switch is off of the switch part. All the other terminals are right there, as well as the metal housing part of the switch. I guess my question is in two part:

1. is there any way to take that switch out for easier soldering, without disconnecting the wires that go through the steering column?

2. what's the best way for a simple guy like me to clean the terminal and wire tip to solder it back on? I don't have room on the wire to strip it back and from the looks of the terminal, its obvious someone outside of Stuttgart tried soldering it on there also. Of course, instead of the solder breaking off, the wire itself seems to have broken, making it even shorter.

Clean the area with a brass brush. If your not using electronic grade solder go to (shudder) Radio Shack and get a small roll.

Sounds like you are trying to extend a wire coming off a switch.
If so, strip and pre tin the new wire, heat the terminal on the switch, add your new wire and solder at the same time... Ive found that holding the solder in my teeth makes a good 3rd hand.

or buy some wire glue - paint it on and stick both parts together - leave for 24 hours and its stuck together and conductive.

just make sure you stir it with a toothpick to get the carbon tubules in suspension first

http://www.amazon.com/American-Science-Surplus-WIRE-GLUE/dp/B000Z9H7ZW
cheers
barri

FLUX!!!!!!!!!! makes things soooooooo easy. get a little jar of just the flux and a small brush (they usually sell it as a kit.) solder usually has flux in it, but with the controlled application of flux it makes guiding the solder 10x easier. I've used it to fix my corner light and my gas level sender. It really makes a difference if I haven't said that enough :D

Flux indeed...I'm very experienced in soft soldering with copper pipes (and even hard soldering/mig/tig). I tried with rosin core, even gooping it on there so that its 'rosin' would flush it out (a trick if its not too bad). I'm going look into this "wire glue"...never heard of such a thing but I like the concept (heatless soldering I suppose)

I have never heard of wire glue, and have been in electronics for over 40 years. There was a paste that was used to repair rear window heaters, and to put on rear window heater contacts so you could solder to it. Maybe I missed something.
Dont ever use acid core solder on electrical wiring soldering it will corrode. tinning the wire and then just touching them together should make a connection, you dont need too much heat, when the solder flows it done.

the wire glue is a very watery adhesive holding a suspension of carbon nanotubules which can carry a charge. i have used it a lot where i dont want to solder. you just have to make sure to stir it up well and place it with a toothpick - it tends to run if you are not careful. it takes a full 12 hours to set. The worst problem is that its so runny. if you leave it for 4 or 5 hours it forms a paste which is easier to use but i found the bond strength decreases.
however in difficult spots or for sticking tabs on batteries etc its invaluable.
just go to the amazon website i included above and read some of the reviews
cheers
barri

Well I'm tired of burning my fingers so the glue it is. I'd rather try to figure out how to set it for 12 hours without touching it than trying to find a new switch with the wires. i just wasted over an hour on that one joint. i can get the solder on the wire no problem but that terminal must really be dirty...or deteriorated.

By the way, I noticed that this whole switch assembly should come out easy by disconnecting it by the parking brake.

Do you have enough space to use a crimped butt connector (sounds more interesting than it is)?

If it's going in your mouth, hope it's lead-free solder......;)

if its any help pch ( I dont know how tight it is where you are soldering) I find doing joints in situ I get the bits to be glued covered then slide on a piece of heat shrink try and close one end down and drip some more wire glue in the other end. then leave for 12 - 24 hours and seal the whole lot up. Never had a problem with it.
I have also used it for fixing rear screen demisters - its great for that - much more conductive than the stuff they sell to fix demisters.
cheers
barri

10 years Ago (?)
 

I had a sample of a Loctite/Permatex product that was an Electrically Conductive Epoxy.
(Came in little pouches...Squeeze to break the seal in the middle of the pouch...Squeeze some more to mix and then apply.)
[5 minute set time]
I don't know if it's still in production.
It was sure a neat solution for some "Cold Soldering" situations.
[Otherwise, damn near impossible]

I look some pictures but I had to run before i could upload. The good thing is that I can pull the whole thing out...The bad thing is that it's still a stump of a terminal surrounded by other terminals, ect and still isn't sticky. I was driving by the Fresno Benz dealer today, and they quoted me $285.xx for it...out of curiousity, I asked how much for the cabin air filters, saying that I was quoted $35 for both at classic center and they quoted me $55 for both. The good news is that my trip further north has been cancelled for now, so the wipers probably wont be necessary until the glue arrives. It barely rains 5 days a year as it is and we've already had that mcuh.

you can still get the silver coloidal epoxy but the QC is poor and its expensive. I have had more luck with the wire glue but a lot of people swear by this as well.

http://tinyurl.com/y2pxu8d
cheers
barri